128 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
FLDLUAL U.MFOHM INSPECTION AND CERTI¬ 
FICATION 
//// Willunn Pitkin 
The Cinciiinali iiKM'tiiig of the Aiiiei'icaii Association 
of Entomologists last winter discussed a plan to provide 
for a Fed('ral and unilonn inspection and certification of 
nursery stock in interstate commerce. 
This j)lan was presented by a committee appointed at 
the ])revions annual meeting. After discussion it was 
agreed to continue the committee and add to its member¬ 
ship, and to ask that the American Association of Nur¬ 
serymen appoint a committee to cooperate to the end 
that a bill migbt be drawn in tbe fall of 1924 to be pre¬ 
sented to Congress at tbe next session in December, 1924. 
The recommendations of the committee were under 
several heads: 
1. Organization. Composed of the Federal Horticultural 
Board and the inspection services of the various states. 
2 . Controlled by a Board of Directors of 7 men, trained and 
experienced in work of this sort; three members to be desig¬ 
nated by the P''. H. B. and three elected by the inspection ser¬ 
vices of the various states; one member a bona fide nursery¬ 
man; all chosen for three-year terms. 
3. Inspection system. Preliminary inspections made during 
the year; final inspection at the time stock is offered for ship¬ 
ment. 
4. Certification system. Certificates to be U. S. tags and 
cover only stock shown by accompanying list and specifying 
the territory into which the stock may be shipped. 
5. Funds. To be provided by the F. H. B. and state inspec¬ 
tion services. 
I do not know wbether our association has appointed 
a committee to cooperate or whether that has been left 
undecided until our next convention, but unfortunately 
1 believe Mr. Rockwell attended the Entomologists’ meet¬ 
ing in Roston a year or more ago and is quoted as having 
read a paper in which he entered “a strong plea from 
the nurseryman’s standpoint for uniform inspection and 
certification”; and that following his “strong plea” the 
committee first referred to was appointed to see what 
could be done toward working out a system of which 
tbe nursery business “stood so greatly in need.” 
While the jiresent state inspection methods are faulty 
and sometimes a little burdensome, are we not getting 
along wdtbout any very serious difficulties? Certainly, 
so far as our own business is concerned, w e are not run¬ 
ning against any serious obstacles. 
Under this proposed method I believe we would jump 
from tbe frying pan into the fire. I certainly am not in 
favor of any plan that directly or indirectly gives the 
F. II. R., or any other Washington Bureau any more con¬ 
trol over the nursery business than is at present exper- 
i( need. There is today, in many lines of business, too 
much control centralized in Washington, too many com¬ 
missions, too juany bureaus, too many officials, too much 
red-tape and too many taxes. Why should any nursery¬ 
man advocate a measure that will simply increase our 
troubles? 
We all know^ from past experience that a board of 
the character suggested would gradually grab for more 
and additional powers until we would be unable to turn 
around until we filed an application and secured a per¬ 
mit from Washington. 
Where wmuld they secure enough competent inspec¬ 
tors to inspect stock at time of shipment, and issue 
proper certificate showing a complete list of the stock 
inspected and the territory in which the stock may be 
shippial? That means an individual tag for each indi¬ 
vidual shipment. One of my Painesville friends says 
that he thinks one hundred men would be required in 
Lake Uounty, Ohio, during tbe busy season. 
Our company w ill handle this spring from 150,000 to 
200,000 orders. Ilow^ many inspectors would be neces¬ 
sary to scrutinize each oriler and attach jiroper certifi¬ 
cate, and handle it fast enough so that our business 
would not be delayed? Remember that ours is a season¬ 
al business. The big bulk of orders to tbe final consumer 
are shipped during a period of four or five woeks and 
delays are dangerous and costly. Where w ill the neces¬ 
sary number of competent insjiectors for that short per¬ 
iod be secured and how' w ill that army of inspectors, if 
secured, be profitably emjiloyed during the balance of 
the year? When they once get on the pay-roll they will 
not be laid off temporarily but will draw' salary for the 
twelve months of the year, and you and I, directly or 
indirectly, will have to pay for it. 
It seems to me an utterly impractical, absurd and fool¬ 
ish proposition, and I regret very much that the action 
already taken by tbe representative of the Association 
indicates that nurserymen are ready for this method. 
I would not be surprised if, before we get much 
further along, we will find that the F. H. B. and the 
state departments will be unable to find necessary funds 
to finance this proposition and wdll incorporate in the 
law a provision which will assess the inspection costs 
on the nurserymen. The Federal Department of Agri¬ 
culture and the F. H. B. are asking for large amounts 
annually and I think have difficulty in getting all that 
they ask for. A service of this sort would mean addi¬ 
tional millions of dollars, w hich perhaps Congress wmuld 
refuse to appropriate. Then we will see an inspection 
fee for us to pay. 
No Federal law" can take away from the states their 
authority under their general police powders to inspect 
nursery at destination and to prescribe tbeir own re¬ 
quirements covering inspection, certification, etc. 
Many states jealously guard their rights. Many states 
have built up strong and competent inspection sei^vices 
to take care of their own peculiar and individual prob¬ 
lems, and in w"bicb they feel confidence. How" many 
states w ill abandon tbeir own inspecton departments and 
feel safe in turning over tbe w ork to tins new" organiza¬ 
tion? It w ill be many years, if ever, before tins could 
be brought about, and in tbe meantime w e would be af¬ 
flicted w ith both Federal and state control. 
We are getting along now" w ithout any serious trouble. 
We have a few annoyances. Wby agree to something 
that is bound to increase our troubles and our expenses? 
Let us keep away from furtber federal control just as 
long as w e can. 
In discussing tbe agitation in favor of governmental 
inspection of tbe grading of lumber. Secretary Hoover 
said to tbe National Lumber Manufacturing Association 
in May, 1922: 
“I do not approve of attempts to extend the arm of the 
government in every direction. It is my belief that we 
have reached a point where the trades can be assisted 
to establish means to make it totally unnecessary for the 
